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May 9, 2018

Navalized Ka-226T Could Boost Indo-Russian Deal

Russian Helicopters has confirmed that the Indian Navy is considering a
navalized version of the Kamov Ka-226T. The service is seeking a Naval
Utility Helicopter (NUH) for search-and-rescue, humanitarian relief,
coastal patrol, monitoring, and counterterror operations. India has
already agreed to acquire 200 Ka-226Ts to meet the Air Force and Army’s
Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) requirement.

The
Ka-226T was not originally listed by the Navy as a competitor for the
LUH, but Chief of Naval staff Admiral Sunil Lamba confirmed the change
of mind. India “would save much money due to our joint project on local
assembly of the type,” Sergei Chemezov, head of Rostec, commented in
January. He explained that the Navy would benefit from a common program
for training of flight and ground crews.

Rostec is the parent
organization of Russian Helicopters and the Rosoboronexport arms sales
agency. The latter two are minority shareholders in Indo-Russian
Helicopters Limited (IRHL), which was established in May 2017 to produce
the Ka-226T in Tumakuru, near Bangalore. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd
(HAL) is the majority (55 percent) shareholder.

An Indian MoD
delegation last month inspected the Kamov design house and the Russian
Helicopters factory at Ulan-Ude. This is where the first 60 Ka-226Ts for
India will be produced before licensed production of another 140 is
undertaken at Tumakuru. The Indian and Russian heads of state signed the
200-helicopter deal in December 2015.

Russian Helicopters
general manager Andrei Boginsky said he hopes for expansion of the
license project following shipments of six navalized Ka-226TMs to
Russia’s Federal Security Service (local acronym FSB). They have
foldable blades for compact storage in a ship hangar; special marine
avionics; night vision and other mission equipment; and a mount for a
7.62-mm machine gun.

Kamov first proposed a navalized Ka-226
back in 2005, but initially, the FSB looked at European models to equip
its coastal patrol corvettes. Following the chill in East-West
relations, the service placed the contract for the six Ka-226TMs in
November 2015. The last pair of these was delivered last month. “The
Ka-226T has proved its merits in the tough conditions of the sea,”
claimed Boginsky.

The Ka-226 features a flying chassis design
complete with detachable cabin modules seating up to six passengers or
carrying mission equipment. First flown in 1997 and operational since
2002, the type did not meet customers’ expectations until 2011, when the
Ka-226T version was introduced with more powerful Turbomeca Arrius 2G1
engines. Of the 70 delivered to date, 40 have gone to the Russian Air
and Space Force (VKS), twenty to other Russian government agencies, and
the remainder to various civilian organizations.